Hoping for more: Tessa McIlwaine believes the campaign should be less about selfies and more about female health (Picture: Mike King)

A breast cancer sufferer has urged her fellow women to check for lumps not for looks during the #nomakeupselfie campaign.

Tessa McIlwaine who is receiving chemotherapy following a recent mastectomy, said although she appreciates the sentiment of the online phenomenon, some are missing the real point.

The 31-year-old said: ‘If people just took the time to check their own bodies instead of photographing themselves in flattering lights and posting pictures online, they might end up luckier than I was.’

More than £8million has been raised for Cancer Research since the #nomakeupselfie movement took off earlier this month.

Following criticism about its apparent lack of impact, organisers urged people not only to share their make-up-free photos but make online donations while doing so.

Ms McIlwaine, who was diagnosed last June, added: ‘At first, it seemed there were no special reasons for posting these photos other than to say, “Look at me”. ‘The charities have now got on board and raised a lot of money, so you can’t argue with that.’

However, the office manager, from Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, admitted some of her fellow sufferers believe #nomakeupselfie is trivialising the disease.

‘All the scars I have, and the lack of hair, put into perspective this idea that going without make-up is such a big deal,’ she said.